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Karak Azgaraz
There are many Dwarf strongholds scattered throughout the Grey Mountains, though none are as wealthy or as magnificent as the surviving karaks of the Worlds Edge Mountains far to the east. The Dwarfs of this region are called Grey Dwarfs by their eastern kin, which is a reference not only to their location, but also to their dour outlook and the relative austerity of their holds. Karak Azgaraz is one such Grey Dwarf stronghold, nestled among the flinty peaks southeast of Übersreik. It has stood here since long before the Empire was founded. Until a few centuries ago, it enjoyed rich resources of gold and silver, but now these veins are largely mined out, forcing the hold to rely on trade with the Empire to make ends meet. Its treasure stores are modest in the eyes of Dwarfs, but to men the wealth of Karak Azgaraz is legendary, and attracts Human merchants willing to brave the highlands. Karak Azgaraz's new king, Thuringar Orc-hewer, realises that fresh seams of gold and silver must be found if the hold is to survive economically. However, the lands around the karak have long been at the mercy of hostile Greenskin tribes, who quickly burn down any settlements and mining works constructed beyond the hold’s walls. Meanwhile, Ratmen and Night Goblins scurry in the labyrinths beneath Karak Azgaraz, threatening destruction from below. Thuringar has taken the battle to these foes, both to avenge past grudges and to pacify the region. The king’s daring counter-attacks against his enemies have given Karak Azgaraz a reputation for boldness, much to the chagrin of many Longbeards who dislike ‘rashness’ of deed and thought. However, despite the muttered disapproval of the elders, the new king is keen for the karak to live up to its name as the "Hold of the Fearless Axes". Geography Karak Azgaraz is situated within Eyrie Peak, high amongst the Grey Mountains. The road from the hold's great gate skirts a small lake, Copper Tarn, at the foot of the mountain, and runs west, reaching Grey Lady Pass after two days. Another two days' north, Übersreik guards the head of the pass, while four days’ south lies the Bretonnian city of Parravon. A precipitous highland track leads eastwards from the hold, reaching Karak Norn after two weeks, passing a handful of smaller holds. Rock falls are common and sometimes the path crumbles away to a dizzying drop of thousands of feet. Greenskins, Trolls, and other highland monsters regularly prey on travellers. Travel is impossible for all but the hardiest Dwarf Ranger in winter, when the mountains are blanketed in thick snow, and ice storms howl through the peaks. Economy Iron, copper, and tin are plentiful below Eyrie Peak, providing Karak Azgaraz with the basic resources it needs to sustain its workshops. However, in recent centuries the hold's seams of gold and silver have dwindled, and it has increasingly relied upon trade with the Empire for the supply of these precious metals. Übersreik is the main gateway for master-crafted metalwork, powerful ales, and furs from the karak. Since King Thuringar’s successful campaigns against the Greenskins of the region, Dwarf prospectors have struck a few encouraging seams of gold in the peaks surrounding the hold, although Orcs and Goblins continue to be a menace. The Annals of Azgaraz All dates translated into the Imperial Calendar. * '-2000 to -1560' - Three kings of Azgaraz are slain during the War of Vengeance. The faithless Elves shall settle their debt only when they restore the three lost crowns. * '-1500' - The Time of Woes. Karak Azgaraz welcomes survivors from the ruined holds of the Worlds Edge Mountains. * '-1499 to -1' - The greenskin tribes encroach on our karak. Their atrocities fill a thousand pages in our Book of Grudges. * '-1' - King Gullin Flamemane and his throng fight at the Battle of Black Fire Pass. Gullin’s rune-axe settles six score grudges against the greenskins. * 1111 - Karak Azgaraz endures the Black Plague. Our warriors scour the Skaven from the Underdeep. Ten thousand grudges upon their kind! * 1522 - The last of our wutroth groves succumb to rootrot. Axe-parties seek timber in the wilds south of the mountains, but none return. Our first grudge against the woodfolk of Athel Loren is recorded. * 1707 - Our throng musters to help defend Übersreik against the Ironclaw tribe. Alas, superior numbers force our throng to retreat and the Orcs raze the city. * 2302-2304 - King Zaladrin Strife-axe marches to Kislev to fight Chaos alongside Magnus the Pious. In his absence, Übersreik is ravaged by Orcs. Our karak can spare no warriors for the city’s defence. In recompense, Zaladrin sends our finest craftsmen to rebuild its walls. * 2318 - The dead perturb the Dwarfs of Azgaraz. King Zaladrin lays siege to the ruinous Blood Keep and slays there a Blood Knight to lay rest his unliving horde. * 2452 - King Zaladrin routs the greenskins at the Battle of High Mere. The ravens feast well on grobi flesh. Alas, Zaladrin and Gunrig, his heir, are murdered by a Goblin assassin. A heinous grudge indeed! Thuringar Orc-hewer succeeds to the throne of Karak Azgaraz. Allies & Rivals Contact between Karak Azgaraz and other dwarf holds is infrequent. The overland routes are fraught with danger, and the hold is poor compared to other karaks, so has few trade links with them. Several clans within Karak Azgaraz are descended from those that fl ed the Worlds Edge Mountains during the Time of Woes. Occasionally, an ambitious thane, with King Thuringar's permission, organises a small throng to raid the ruins of his ancestral karak to rescue heirlooms and avenge grudges. The few expeditions that do return are sometimes laden with treasure and tales of glorious revenge. Like most dwarfs, the folk of Karak Azgaraz respect the people of the Empire, despite their pitiful attempts at craftsmanship and engineering. They have never forgotten how Sigmar rescued King Kurgan of Karaz-a-Karak from marauding orcs. A few Azgaraz dwarfs have settled in Ubersreik, mainly to direct trade between the city and their hold. Some dwarfs journey farther afield to seek their fortune. Their king can ill afford to lose even a single warrior, so would-be adventurers must win Thuringar's assent for their departure. The hold is suspicious of its westerly neighbours, the Bretonnians. Smugglers operate out of Parravon, running Goat-Kicker ale from Karak Azgaraz. The Brewers' Guild seeks to put an end to this contraband. To his dismay, Master Brewer Hreidig Sturlosson believes that one or more dwarfs must be involved, organising this criminal trade from within the hold. The karak has no dealings with High Elves – the scars of the War of Vengeance have not healed, despite the passing of four millennia. As for Wood Elves, the arcane forest of Athel Loren borders the Grey Mountains four days southwest of the hold. A thousand years ago, a woodcutting party from the karak disappeared there, and on every centenary of this outrage, a dwarf war band has entered the trees seeking revenge. With each passing century, the tally of grudges against the wood elves increases, for no war band has ever returned. Needless to say, elvish visitors to Karak Azgaraz receive an extremely unfriendly welcome. Thuringar's Hold Like all dwarf strongholds, Karak Azgaraz consists of a series of descending levels, or deeps, excavated within the mountain by successive generations of dwarfs. The Ancestors' Gate Two-thirds up the western face of Eyrie Mountain, an imposing bastion bristling with cannon guards a fifty-foot gate of brass, flanked by towering statues of Grungni and Grimnir. Over the centuries, countless Greenskin armies have tried to breach the rune-protected gate, but it stands unscratched. Orc and goblin skulls are piled high at the foot of the defences. The gate is only opened when royalty enter or leave the karak. Operated by a system of clockwork gears, its opening mimics the angry rumble of thunder. A side-door, protected by murder holes and a crack unit of Quarrellers, allows entrance for less important folk. Surface Features Squat watchtowers safeguard the road zigzagging up to the Ancestors' Gate and dot the surrounding highlands, using a relay of beacons to warn the karak of approaching danger and messenger hawks for quick communication. Copper Tarn, at the base of Eyrie Peak, is tinged a brilliant blue-green from the residue of the copper mine at the lake’s edge. The road to the karak crosses the water, raised on stilts and protected by a series of drawbridges that can be raised to hamper enemy movement. Trout swim in the waters, which the dwarfs catch from coracles using specially trained cormorants. A few lakeside farms grow mountain hops, used to brew dwarf beer, and hardy wheat, which is milled into fl our within the hold to make stone-bread. Where the road from Karak Azgaraz enters Grey Lady Pass, a fortified trading post provides a haven for travellers and a focal point for merchants from the Empire and Bretonnia. The Mountain Top High up the mountain, herders rear stocky, great-horned goats for milk, skins, and meat. These peculiar dwarfs have developed the sport of head wrestling, which involves two herders locking their horned helmets in a show of strength. Champion head-wrestlers are even known to compete with the prize rams of their flocks! Almost at the summit is a landing platform for the karak's only gyrocopter. A lonely hut provides shelter for the pilot, Borek Lindgrunsson. As long as the oldest dwarf can remember, a giant eagle has nested atop the highest outcrop of Eyrie Mountain. Its wingspan is as long as three men, and it can speak the languages of dwarfs, men, and elves. The goat-herders respect this bird as the true king of the peaks and off er it the pick of their flocks. In return, the eagle gives them information on the movements of the Greenskin tribes. In recent weeks, the eagle has flown away and not returned. This is indeed an ill omen for the hold. Upper Deeps Beyond the Ancestors' Gate is a massive atrium lit by a thousand torches, its granite walls flecked with crystals that glitter like a million stars. A huge statue of Valaya dominates the central space, water cascading from her upturned cornucopia. Dozens of corridors branch from the hall, some reached by steps carved into the walls, others by ladders or pulley-operated baskets. These passages wind down to the lower deeps or lead to barrack blocks where clans-dwarfs on active service quarter when not manning the defences. Should the Ancestors' Gate ever be breached, the atrium is designed to become a killing ground. Portcullises can block off the ground-level corridors and the higher passageways provide excellent vantage points for dwarf marksmen and artillery. This is as far as most non-dwarfs are permitted to go. Middle Deeps Below the upper deep, a maze of corridors and galleries connects six vast levels of occupation. Without a guide, strangers can easily become lost. The top three levels, the middle deeps, are named after the totemic birds of prey that feature heavily in clan heraldry and the stylised work of the hold's craftsmen. Goshawk Deep is populated by the least wealthy clans, such as Clan Steelcrag, Clan Flintbeard, and Clan Cragtooth, descendants of refugees who came from the east in the Time of Woes. Below them, in Gyrfalcon Deep, dwell clans descended from the founders of the karak, such as Clan Ironarm, Clan Irebeard, and Clan Grimhelm. The hold’s weapon forges, armouries, and breweries are found here, as well as the best craftsmen. Each craft and trade is represented by a magnificent guildhall on this level, governed by prestigious clansdwarfs. An association unique to Karak Azgaraz is the Falconers' Guild, which breeds and trains the birds of prey used to hasten communication between the hold and its outlying settlements. Each clan is centred upon its great hall, where the clansdwarfs gather on important anniversaries to feast, drink, and boast. Adjacent is the clan's armoury and trophy chamber where its battle standards are arrayed. Family life revolves about the surrounding warren of hearth chambers. Barely set apart from the living quarters, forges and workshops echo with the hiss and hammer of industry day and night. Most Azgaraz dwarfs are miners, toiling in the outermost tunnels or in mineworks beyond the hold’s defences for the raw metal ores needed by the craftsmen. However, many shafts lie abandoned, especially those where gold or silver was once mined, and most dwarfs have to work harder for less gain. It is little wonder, then, that some adventurous shortbeards seek their fortune outside Karak Azgaraz. The oldest, wealthiest, and most influential clans dwell in Goldeagle Deep, where the awe-inspiring moot halls of the most important guilds are situated. Clan Hammerback dominates the Miners' Guild, but, although historically the richest of the Azgaraz guilds, its power is waning with the recent dearth of gold and silver. Clan Silverscar governs the Engineers' Guild. Explosions shake the walls of the guild’s workshops as the karak's engineers strive to perfect existing machines or invent new ones. Their current secret project is a steam-driven ‘subterranean ironclad’ designed to plough through rock carrying a crew of twenty dwarfs. Clan Thunderstone monopolises the small but highly esteemed Runesmiths' Guild. The Runesmiths of Karak Azgaraz strike runic weapons and armour in their forge-halls for the king and his thanes. They also devise new rune-wards and rune-traps to protect the hold. Throughout every inhabited deep there are alcoves containing life-size ancestor-statues – heavily stylised stone figures representing past heroes of Karak Azgaraz, girded for war. They symbolise a common dwarf belief that a hold is protected not only by its living dwarfs but also by those who have passed into memory. The Royal Deeps King Thuringar and his clan inhabit the very heart of the mountain. The high-vaulted chambers and galleries of the Royal Deep are masterworks of masonry, every pillar, buttress, and alcove carved with intricate designs. The Throne Room Perched on his golden throne at the far end of this expansive chamber, Thuringar, flanked by his bodyguards, pronounces decisions, settles disputes, and greets important visitors. The walls are carved with scenes depicting the deeds of his ancestors. A magnificent brazier swings from the ceiling arches. Its flame was lit by the first king of Karak Azgaraz and has never been allowed to die. The King's Hall The king entertains his thanes and important guests in this cavernous banquet hall. Row upon row of oaken tables can seat hundreds of dwarfs. The king’s table is raised above them on a dais at the eastern end. Massive ancestor-statues support the walls and the standards of each of the karak's clans hang from the soaring ceiling. The Royal Library These shadowy, claustrophobic chambers, ill-lit by guttering torches, house many rows of stone shelves containing scrolls and tomes dedicated to Karak Azgaraz's history, kingly edicts, famous battles, and so on. The most ancient and valuable books are chained to their shelves. A small army of dwarf scholars looks after the library. Council Chamber The karak's Council of Elders meet in a spacious circular hall with a chequerboard floor, seated at a round granite table. The king gathers the elders to discuss matters of great importance. Thuringar is an inexperienced king and respects his councillors' opinions, but is not afraid to stamp his authority. The council consists of the following elders: *Siggir Keymaster *Master Miner Gurniksson Hammerback *Master Engineer Volund Silverscar *Runesmith Grimhold Thunderstone *Hokar Stormbeard *Brunna Ravenshield *Loremaster Rudger Halkinsson *Orni Haleheart *Thora Hirdsdottir Heroes' Deep The levels below the Royal Deep are the most sacred parts of Karak Azgaraz. It is the least frequented region of the hold, visited by the dwarfs only in times of great solemnity, such as to commemorate the deeds of the Ancestor-Gods, pay homage to the memory of their forefathers, or lay the dead to eternal rest. The Halls of Sanctity The focal locations of Heroes' Deep are the three temple chambers dedicated to the chief Ancestor-Gods. Each consists of a pillared cloister surrounding an inner sanctum that contains a lonely statue of the god. On commemoration days, the temples resound with the hubbub of ale-quaffing dwarfs, come to noisily recount the god’s mighty deeds with drunken song. At other times, hardly a sound reverberates in the empty chambers save the shuffling of robed priests attending to their daily chores. The temples of Grungni and Valaya both have a high priest ordained above the lesser clergy. In Azgaraz tradition, this position is left vacant in the temple of Grimnir, symbolising the god’s disappearance into the Chaos Wastes. Hall of Remembering This echoing chamber contains only a central lectern that bears a hefty tome, the karak's Book of Grudges. A beam of light shines from the ceiling, illuminating the book in a brilliant circle. On the first day of the new year, clansdwarfs fill Thuringar’s throne room in the Royal Deep to hear him recite each old grudge settled and each new one accrued during the previous year. The karak’s Grudge Keeper, Ozrik Trollbane, scribbles down the king’s pronouncements and spends the rest of the year carefully updating the Book of Grudges. Hall of Deeds Any dwarf of Karak Azgaraz who performs a great achievement has his deed inscribed upon the white marble walls of this long gallery. Of the hundred panels in this hall, only the first few are filled, though each contains over ten thousand names and deeds. Durnok Deed-Hewer has a backlog of deeds to inscribe dating back to the reign of Thuringar’s great-grandfather, but he remembers, in precise order, every achievement that requires recording. Halls of the Ancestors These shadowy chambers are the resting places of the dead. The richly adorned royal sepulchres take pride of place, followed by the gilded mausoleum of the Hammerers. Thanes and guild masters are interred in elaborate tombs surrounding the royal crypts. Mundane dwarfs are buried in simpler family vaults cut into the rocky walls of this labyrinthine necropolis. Radgar Moonbeard and his fellow grey-robed priests of Gazul protect these halls and preside over funeral rites. Relatives visit their ancestral tombs on various anniversaries during the year, pouring libations of dwarf beer to honour the dead. The Vaults The deepest levels house the king’s personal treasure vaults, heavily guarded by a maze of rune-traps and a mechanical guardian uniquely crafted by Master Engineer Volund Silverscar. Only Thuringar and his chief treasurer Siggir Keymaster can safely access this area. Thuringar's treasure hoard is meagre compared to those belonging to the kings of the Worlds Edge karaks, but it is still worth an Emperor’s ransom – room after room is piled high with finely wrought dwarf metalwork and jewelcraft amassed over many centuries. The Underdeep Within the bowels of the mountain, tunnels riddle deep into the rock, be they ancient abandoned mines, natural fissures, or the warrens of the vile, subterranean creatures such as skaven and night goblins. Only the Ironbreakers, tasked to guard Karak Azgaraz from underground invasion, regularly penetrate this dark, abyssal place... A legend tells of a dragon sleeping many miles below the hold, resting on an immense heap of treasure. Most dwarfs scoff at this tall story, but foolhardy shortbeards sometimes venture into the Underdeep to seek their fortune, never to be seen again. Three hundred years ago, one such adventurer staggered back into the hold clutching a dazzling gold goblet in his bloody hand, but died of his wounds before he could tell his tale. The bejewelled chalice now serves as the king’s favourite wine cup. Many Slayers enter the Underdeep. Most meet their end there, although several have emerged after months or even years, heavily scarred and disappointed at having overcome every goblin horde, cave-beast, and ravenous monster they encountered. Source * : Warhammer Fantasy RPG 3rd Edition: Book of Grudges ** : pg. 16 ** : pg. 17 ** : pg. 18 ** : pg. 19 ** : pg. 20 ** : pg. 21 ** : pg. 22 * pg. 23 * pg. 24 * pg. 25 * pg. 26 * pg. 27 * pg. 28 * pg. 29 es:Karak-Azgaraz Category:Dwarf Karak Category:Grey Mountains Category:Karak Azgaraz Category:A Category:K